The Last Mile Foundation aka Step'n Ahead aka Emotional Sobriety aka …. who knows what else!

Busy …. busy …. busy... No time to lose!...... So many addicts to 'save' and so much dosh to be collected.... how does Wayne Butler (president/CEO) find the time!

And so …..from Perth, Western Australia:

“Hi friends of AA,

It was wonderful to find your article on this Wayne B. and his company!

I live in Perth, Western Australia and I am a very concerned member of AA because of the same reasons written in your concerns!

You're correct …. he has been here often, got to the young members, how I have seen them change under him. They teach his words, follow like sheep!!

One of the most dangerous issues is they are preaching NO medication!!!!! I have had a young newcomer on the phone to me crying after his "Spons" had told him he was not to take any medication while coming off alcohol, this poor sweet young man had not one but two alcoholic seizures ending up in hospital, he could have died and almost did! The doctor treating him wanted the name of this sponsor from AA , this looks bad for the fellowship!! After being made to feel under the control of this "Spons" making many phone calls to AA members but not able to distance himself from this "group" he is missing/gone..

Yes he comes here to his "work shops" or using AA members not aware of his game to fund them!

The control over his followers here frightens me and many other AA members. They go out to our meetings promoting their next "Money Raising Event". And they have had many!! We were informed to have a group conscience meeting and add that we only announce changes to AA meetings or AA anniversaries. We do Not give medical advice at this meeting,please respect this in your sharing. Also if they do not, then do not ask them to share.

We have also stopped them announcing their "events" where you pay at the door, or prepay in our AA literature, this along with not being able sell their event to our members should stop the funding for his company from our true AA members!

The control is out of control!!!

God bless


….....
Perth”

and then... from Rochester, New York state:

“Hello -

It looks like the Emotional Sobriety folks are coming to my hometown for our annual fall conference. I am very glad to have come across your site, and the links back to their program. Something just didn't ring true. I certainly have no intention of attending!

http://www.rochester-ny-aa.org/ you'll find a link to the conference flyer on this page

….....”

(our edits)

Comment: Quite apart from the vicious consequences suffered by new AA members as a result of this commercial enterprise's irresponsible activities it would seem that the Rochester Area Intergroup is now complicit in promoting the very same! Now what was that tradition ….. the one about non affiliation.. And wasn't there another one about being self supporting through our own voluntary contributions? Nah! It's slipped our minds for the time being....... couldn't have been very important anyway..... could it?

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Rochester Area Intergroup incidentally will shortly be receiving a link to the above!

The Minority report ends up in Australia!

“Hi there,

After writing the below I notice Wayne B gets a mention in your "A Minority report to conference 2012."

I went to his workshop last year, more than a few were on the verge of relapse after it. This group has become increasingly noticeable in Perth, Australia. Headed by Wayne Butler from the USA, his company through which this runs is The Last Mile Foundation …... Locally they brand themselves as having "Emotional Sobriety."

They breach lots of the traditions, and they have grow through local members not knowing or turning a blind eye to it.

They have their own "big book" and "12 step guide", known as the Step n' Ahead Workbook. They have a pyramid type sponsorship structure. All follow the same directions, HP is my sponsor and you're either willing or not. Never question your sponsor, no medication, no other therapists. They are told they have to have 5 sponsee's and actively recruit and target newcomers. Its very much an ego, personality type group that sees itself as the true AA. Most original members are those who were in AA, didn't work the program were about to leave/drink, then found this extreme version.

I personally have no issue if a member wants to go the extreme route, but it is the targeting of the newcomer that is the concern. The slanting and twisting of the big book, and the controlling cult like behaviour that goes on outside the rooms. ….......

many thanks”

An AA convention? We think not!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(Our thanks to our reporter in Perth)

Wessex (cult) Intergroup Update and other sundry matters

Well it would seem that south west region are less than enthused by the new all-singing, all-dancing cult intergroup's bid to join the AA fold. The chairman of this new 'creation' was recently invited to put his case to region as to why this novel body (composed of two groups: Bournemouth Road to Recovery – part of the Visions/Road to Recovery cult franchise and Poole St Ann's Hospital, Thursday) should be allowed to participate in the AA service structure. Apparently his oratorical skills (up to this point mostly devoted to pointing out to the rest of us how wrong we all are – remember the cult mantra – We are ALWAYS RIGHT and you are ALWAYS WRONG!) failed him at this critical juncture, region were duly unimpressed and the vote went against Wessex; it would not receive the support of region. For those of you who are not fully up to date with this apparently unending saga the new 'intergroup' was formed (unilaterally of course) as a result of the repeated attempts by the Bournemouth cult group to join either Bournemouth IG or Poole IG. Both of these service bodies being fully aware of the cult's performance down in Plymouth ie. Plymouth Road to Recovery (the local branch of the same franchise), declined their advances pointing out to this rogue group their already established history of “controversial” conduct ie. bullying, abusive sponsorship, interference in medical matters etc. So what do you do when no intergroup wants you? Well you starts your own! It's obvious really when you think about it... Doh!!! Still we don't think a minor setback of being given the cold shoulder by south west region will make much of a difference here. Going by past performance the whole thing is something of a red herring anyway. Cult groups by and large only pay lip service to the notion of AA unity (something which they use as a way of manipulating AA members and groups and thereby diverting criticism). We fully expect them to continue in their efforts (no doubt whilst playing the martyr role to the hilt!) to undermine the fellowship by competing with the existing AA IGs in the area, and by the repeated promotion of their own perversions of the recovery programme (sponsorship idolatry, personalities before principles etc). Now talking of perversions we come to …....

…....the Plymouth Road to Recovery group. This troublesome little gang headed up by Wayne P (or that is until recently when his trousers fell down! Wayne incidentally is one of Clancy I's sponsees (Pacific Group) – a grouping many of whom seem to have similar problems with keeping their kegs in place!) together with his two cohorts Alexis K and Jon F (see Incident at Conference) is still busily breaking as many AA traditions as it can discover. The diary dates section of their prettily designed website contains adverts for the latest crop of celebrity circuit speakers to hit the UK. These include two operating under the banner of “Step N ahead into “emotional sobriety””. Step 'N Ahead operates under the auspices of yet another “Foundation” (a US based enterprise) which represents itself as having “non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS effective 29 July 2009”. This must be a substantial loss to the US Treasury since this organisation charges a pretty penny indeed for the privilege of attending one of its “workshops”, “conventions” etc together with all the associated paraphernalia of “workbooks”, “CDs” etc, that constitute the usual 'stock in trade' of the professional recovery 'broker'. Moreover the Foundation's website clearly states in a disclaimer that:

“Step'n Ahead into Emotional Sobriety®
Step'n Ahead at The Last Mile® and
Friends of Step'n Ahead®

...cooperate with but are not affiliated with AA or any alcoholism treatment program/process.

The mention of AA herein is not meant to imply or suggest affiliation with, endorsement by nor approval from AA regarding the posting or content of this site, and/or the presentation of the workshop itself. AA neither endorses nor opposes any causes.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the workshop leaders. They do not wish to imply nor suggest they speak as experts for or representatives of medicine, psychology, psychiatry, religion or talk therapy.”

Now we are distinctly impressed by this nifty side-stepping of the non-affiliation tradition, something that might even be contrived by a lawyer, and which brings us on rather neatly to one of the speakers at this heavily promoted event:

“S. D. Washington, D.C.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This young and sober legal-eagle found himself spiritually defenseless and broken in sobriety as he attempted to argue and defend his own case of troubled emotions v. the world -- and lost; but he emerged victorious when he finally surrendered his case to the 'highest court' and plead for mercy."

together with yet another Wayne (but not our own “trouserless one”), Wayne B, who hails from St Petersburg Florida (also due to “headline” shortly in Terra Haute, Wabash Valley Intergroup, Indiana (US).

Anyways we'll leave it to you to hunt down this gang (we've given you quite enough clues after all!) Of more interest from our point of view (and in respect of non-affiliation) is the fact that the Derbyshire Intergroup have had their entire website link with the main AA (GB) website removed on the grounds that the IG site carried a link to Google maps (see Stop Press: 16/09/11 “Derbyshire AA Intergroup?”) Now the Plymouth Road to Recovery website (which has an indirect link posted on the same AA website) has been carrying promotional material for non-affiliated organisations for some time now (quite apart from advertising various “personalities” eg. the “Venerable” C (otherwise known as Clancy I) yet their website retains advertising space on the GB website. We pointed out this apparent anomaly to the General Service Office (York). It will be interesting to see what happens (or not as the case may be)!

Business as usual we guess!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(our thanks to our local reporters for the info)

News from down Bournemouth way

Well! It seems that the recovery "business" is thriving - following our article on the goings-on in South East London Intergroup (West) a member sent in some more info - the franchise "Emotional Sobriety" appears to have opened up shop elsewhere in the UK - Bournemouth and Croydon amongst others (see quote below). Apart from Wayne B (not to be confused with Little Wayne from the Road to Recovery Cult group Plymouth) and Tina, Bob D (who has also done a turn at the Plymouth R2R roadshow) also features behind this. Indeed it would appear that the R2R gang are busily strengthening links both with the Pacific Group (about which there is already considerable controversy but we'll leave that for another day) as well as the Primary Purpose outfit (French branch). Apart from Bob (Specific Group?? Las Vegas) the R2R cult group has hosted no lesser a personage than the venerable Clancy I (Pacific Group LA US). Indeed so amicable are relations in this respect that the R2R website now carries a link to AA Los Angeles Central Office (which is handy if you're at a bit of a loss on a Monday night and need a meeting in LA). But to get back to the Emotional Sobriety scam - at first sight there seems to be little in common between the fliers advertising the SELIG event and the one in Bournemouth. However our eagle eyed correspondent noted that in both instances cheques for registration are payable to Friends of Bill W. As far as we are aware this is not an AA account, nor one run by the local intergroup - in fact it has no connection with AA at all. No attempt was made by the organiser of this event to inform the local intergroup of what was going on (even as a matter of courtesy). When he was challenged on the matter a number of fairly feeble rationalisations were offered (far too nauseating to post here). The organiser himself hails from the Poole Sunday night group and claims no connection with the Road to Recovery group (that is apart from having an predilection for ignoring inconvenient Traditions and a similar taste in speakers). Additionally a correspondent from the US sent us further information on the Emotional Sobriety racket:

Quote:

"More on Wayne 'n' Tina

Tina seems to be a recent addition, replacing the aging 'TJ M.' of Chicago.
A quick and dirty search finds multiple versions of the same flyer, with various 'sponsoring' entities identified, e.g.:

Friends of the Big Book (Washington DC)
Pinellas Beginners Group (Clearwater Florida)
Essex Beginners Group (Leigh on Sea, Essex)
Oxford area AA's (Summertown, Oxford)
Friends of Step'n Ahead (Dundee, Scotland)
Akron Beginners Group (Akron, Ohio)

How many of these are real AA groups is not clear.

The W 'n' T organization have two websites:
http://www.stepnahead.com/
and the more recent,
http://www.emotionalsobriety101.com/

"The Big Book Lives On" is their most common head line, but they also refer to the following (note trademarks): Step'n Ahead at The Last Mile® (98% Success!) and Step'n Ahead into Emotional Sobriety®.

They sell workbooks and promote like mad.

Warn everyone, thanks"


It is worth nothing that the distinction between a speaker sharing at a meeting as an AA member or addressing an event to promote their "brand", is becoming increasingly blurred. Circuit speakers have been a feature for some time in the US (in breach of the Tradition relating to principles before personalities) and that unsavoury aspect of AA is now creeping into the UK (with CDs being offered for sale at some group venues). Generally AA workshops are open to all and there is no charge for admission. AA conventions may charge but this is done to cover the costs of accommodation and other accessory facilities, but should not charge AA members for access to any AA meeting held on the premises. Where charges are necessarily incurred for the use of facilities by AA members who are engaged in service activity it is generally the case that the service structure reimburses those members for any costs (this is done to ensure that no AA member is excluded from the possibility of participating in that structure due to financial constraints). In our view, and apart from those instances cited above, any event which charges admission is de facto NOT an AA gathering and should not be advertised at AA meetings, nor should their literature be displayed at AA meetings (contrary to the perverse guideline issued on this matter by the General Service Conference (What were they thinking! Or rather - Were they thinking at all!). We expect this trend to continue (for the foreseeable future) and would propose that the default position which might be adopted by the AA service structure is to treat any such events (ie. those that are not sponsored by an Intergroup, or where the group has not consulted with other groups as per Tradition Four) as non AA events and therefore not to be advertised within AA, and moreover that newer members should be notified of this. Furthermore we would propose that any new group set up should approach the relevant Intergroup or other groups in the locality prior to its formation and give a full account of its purposes, financing, affiliations etc - in other words establish its credentials as a genuine AA group. If it does so to the satisfaction of AA members then it may be admitted as an AA group together with inclusion in the local and national Where to Finds. If it fails to satisfy the membership of its credentials then the local groups may choose to exclude it. Additionally it may be the case that a group's continued participation in an Intergroup (and inclusion in the Where to Find) may be reviewed if it can be demonstrated to the local membership that its conduct is consistently and repeatedly in breach of AA traditions (not only in letter but in spirit) and that its conduct brings AA into serious disrepute (we would propose that such infractions include criminal activity, serious negligence - both of which may be actionable in law, together with that conduct which is in breach of human rights - freedom of association, freedom of religious (or not) worship, freedom of speech etc)These may be considered radical measures by some elements in the Fellowship but then doing nothing, as we have said before, is no longer an option.

Finally we display the Bournemouth flier with personal details blanked out (as usual) but in the light of the above we are reconsidering this policy. Given that these are non AA functions there seems to be no good reason why we should not include those details (and in full in future); it would seem to us that if a member has chosen to break their own anonymity in support of a non AA event then we are no longer under any moral obligation to do otherwise.

Cheers

The Fellas

Cult activity in South East London Intergroup Area (West)

An AA member has kindly sent us photos of a flier which was recently being distributed in AA meetings in this part of London. This advertising material would seem to emanate from a group recently established (July 2009) in the Kennington/Oval area on a Thursday evening (London Beginners Group). The event was not sponsored by the local AA groups nor by SELIG. Local members have challenged their attempts to advertise this non-AA event in AA meetings. In one instance a cult member was asked if the event was "AA approved". The fellow did not seem to understand the concept so it was explained to him: "Is this event put on by AA, approved by Intergroup [according to AA guidelines], with monies collected going back through Intergroup and into the service structure of AA?" Apparently the chap in question was unable to furnish an adequate reply and beat a hasty retreat. There have also been attempts by cult members to intervene in local groups by asking for group consciences to be held (a tactic by which they seek to incorporate their agenda into that of AA) - so far these have proven to be unsuccessful. SELIG contacted the organiser of this event and invited him to attend the next Intergroup business meeting (July 09) to offer an explanation, an invitation which was initially accepted but then subsequently declined. SELIG minutes indicate that these events 'should not be announced in AA meetings' since they have nothing to do with AA.

It will be observed from the flier that if it were sponsored by AA or an AA group it would be in breach of the following Traditions:

Trad 1: Acting without consultation with AA groups and thereby causing disunity
Trad 3: Charging for admission to event - financial status is not a requirement for membership (or attendance at any AA event)
Trad 4: Their conduct is adversely affecting other groups and AA as a whole
Trad 6: This group is endorsing an outside organisation viz. Emotional Sobriety
Trad 7: Event open to non AA members and accepting payments from these
Trad 8: It is unclear how the revenue collected from this event is disbursed - it is indicated that some of the speakers come from the US (Are they here in a professional capacity? Are they being paid expenses and/or fees? Is this a justifiable cost? For the last we think not - no one's that sober!)
Trad 11: Flier is promotional
Trad 12: Part of the promotional content includes reference to specific personalities

The flier carries misinformation relating to the financing of this workshop - an AA meeting is ANY occasion where two or more members of AA (that is someone who has a desire to stop drinking and declares themselves to be such) meet to share their experience, strength and hope so that they may help each other to get and stay sober - the ENTIRE business of AA is precisely that. If a meeting is being run for any other purpose it is NOT an AA meeting. Workshops, conferences, business meetings, however they may be labelled, are ALL AA meetings and ANY member of AA is entitled to attend them, and without financial charge. Any costs incurred should be borne by the Fellowship (either locally or as a whole) from VOLUNTARY contributions received.

Some research into one of the speakers indicates a connection with a non-AA website. (The site carries the usual disclaimer of non-affiliation. It is clear however from the circulated flier that the speaker is using this event to promote his own agenda (which we repeat, and according to the site's own disclaimer, has no association with Alcoholics Anonymous).

Clearly how an individual earns his living, or occupies his time, is entirely his own affair, but AA is not the place to tout for business.

Our thanks to the member who drew our attention to this.

Cheers

The Fellas